Vietnamese Fish Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
Vietnamese fish sauce, or nuoc cham, is a flavorful, simple dipping sauce for Vietnamese foods. Make this recipe in only 5 minutes!
Servings: 12 tbsp
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp hot water
- 2 tbsp sugar more if needed (See Note 1)
- 1-2 tbsp fresh lime juice or lemon juice, more if needed
- 1-2 tbsp fish sauce more if needed
Optional Garnishes
- 1 clove garlic finely minced
- 1 red chile finely sliced (preferably bird's eye)
Instructions
- The flavor of this Vietnamese fish sauce should be adjusted to suit your taste preferences. Add small amounts of each ingredient, then taste for flavor and add more, only as needed. Keep in mind that you can always add more of something, but it's impossible to remove if you've added too much.
- Add hot water and sugar to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Stir in 1 tbsp citrus juice, then taste for sweetness. The flavor should be similar to sweetened lemonade (or limeade).
- Add 1 tbsp fish sauce to start, then taste for flavor, adding more as needed.
- If desired, garnish the nuoc cham with minced garlic and finely sliced chiles. Serve as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, egg rolls, summer rolls, or with beef, chicken, pork, or seafood.
Notes
- The flavor of this dipping sauce should be adjusted to suit your taste preference. Add small amounts at a time, then taste for flavor and add more if needed. Remember, you can always add more of something, but you can't remove it after it's been added. It's important to taste the nuoc chom as you make it.
- Nutrition shown is per tablespoon, as serving sizes may be different for each person.
Nutrition
Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 119mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 36IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg